Posts Tagged ‘Youngberg Hill Pinot Noir’

Reading a wine barrel sounds like a relatively simple process. You are looking at a label imprinted into the wood, right? There’s a little more to it than that. On the left you will see one of our new barrels for our estate Pinot Noir. On the top of the barrel is information about it. Some barrel manufacturers (called “cooperages” in the wine world) put more information on their barrels than others.

On this barrel we have:

Cadus is the name of the cooperage.

France is the source of the barrel.

Origine means the point of origin.

YH are the initials of Youngberg Hill. This barrel was made specially for us.

Troncais is the oak forest in France that the wood is from. There are six different forests this oak type comes from and each forest has specific characteristics.

French oak – 30 months air dried means the amount of time after harvesting the tree during which the wood is dried out in the open. After the wood is dried, the barrel is created.

M+ signifies that the inside of the barrel has been toasted a certain amount. In this case it was toasted to medium plus. The amount a barrel has been toasted contributes to the taste of your wine.

Slow extraction means that this barrel is best used when the wine will be in it for more than a year because the wood slowly interacts with the wine.

At Youngberg Hill we are very specific about our choice in barrels. We use white oak as it has been the standard in the winemaking industry for centuries. It brings out unique qualities in wine and allows wine to interact with it and through it. Other wood has been experimented with, but winemakers around the world have come back to white oak.

The white oak we use for barrels is from France. French white oak barrels have been the barrel of choice for Pinot Noir producers the world over. The qualities we look for are:

The age of the oak trees.

The weather in which they are grown (cool so the growth is slower and the grain is more open.)

The drying conditions of the wood in an open air environment.

The manufacturing process of the barrel.

All of these qualities allow Pinot Noir to age beautifully. Every one of these qualities are found in French white oak barrels.

Big red wines like Cabernet, Borolo, Malbec and all those big reds in between can use a wider variation of oak barrels. They are thick skinned, big boned, heavy wines that can compete with other oaks more easily without losing the character of the wine. Pinot Noir is a delicate grape with thinner skins that can be easily overwhelmed by other oak options. French white oak has been found over the centuries to be subtle enough to interact with Pinot Noir.

What else would you like to learn about the Pinot-making process? Let us know below.

It’s almost Halloween! It’s time to break out the candy corn, gummy worms, mini Kit Kats and all the other treats we love. While we try to convince ourselves that only kids enjoy candy on Halloween, we can’t really get away from the fact that adults indulge too. So, don’t fight it. Just make it an adult dining experience by pairing your treats with wine. That way, it’s not even an indulgence. It’s a culinary adventure!

Here are some classic Halloween candies, with wine pairing recommendations:

Candy Corn is one of those Halloween treats that incites extreme reaction. You either love candy corn, or you despise it. There is no middle ground. This (fortunately) is not the case with wine pairing. There are a few whites that would go well with this traditional treat. Try a big, buttery Chardonnay, Viognier, Riesling or Gewürztraminer while gobbling these goodies.

Gummy Worms make your palates pucker in a delicious way. You can try Pinot Noir or Malbec with these sugar-encrusted treats.

Skittles and Starburst both pair well with the bubbles and freshness of Moscato or Prosecco.

Caramel Apple for those who want to feel as if they are being healthy, while still indulging in a delicious treat, the caramel apple is the way to go. There are also several wines which pair well with this treat-on-a-stick. These include: Muscat, Gewürztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauternes, or Pinot Gris.

Red Licorice or Red Vines pair perfectly with Pinot Noir.

Reeses Peanut Butter Cups or Peanut M&M’s go well with Port or Sherry.

Hershey’s Chocolate Bars, Kit Kats, and Milky Way Bars in those classic, individual sizes or in the lustworthy, family size can be paired with a jammy Zinfandel or Pinot Noir – or with a Merlot.

Feel like snacking on something a little more healthy? Never fear! You can still pair your roasted pumpkin seeds with Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Vert

Here’s to you and your Halloween wine pairing adventure! Let us know in the comments below if you find any other fun wine and candy pairings.

The elements of a great harvest are both unique and vital to a successful vintage. Harvest times depends upon many factors, including the year’s weather conditions, crop size, and ripeness. The decision of when to pick the grapes has a huge impact on the wine’s complexity, flavor, and richness. Grapes picked too young can fall short in these factors – while overripe grapes can add too much sugar and alcohol to the wine. The perfectly ripe grape harvest is something every winemaker seeks.

Additionally, great harvest times for every type of wine varies – depending on where the grape is grown and the type of grape. The grape of choice in many Pacific Northwest vineyards is Pinot, which is usually harvested anytime in fall – depending on the year’s weather. This is true here in Youngberg Hill and is true for many wineries in the Willamette Valley.

Determining harvest time includes working out how sweet the grapes are. Sweetness/sugar levels will affect the amount of alcohol in the wines. Think back for a second…what are the sweetest grapes you have eaten? If you thought raisins, you were on to something. Dried fruit has more sugar in it than fresh, perfectly ripe fruit. The last thing you want in your Pinot Noir or Pinot Gris is a oversweet, raisiny taste and an alcohol level that overwhelms the complexity and depth the wine could show if the grapes were ripe during harvest.

As sugar levels in wine grapes rise, acid levels fall. You want the perfect balance of these two factors to create a well-balanced wine. With our wine, we want to showcase the land and the grapes – this means the wine itself must be balanced perfectly to allow these amazing factors to shine through.

Another important aspect in determining harvest time is the physiological ripeness of the grapes. This isn’t just tasting the grapes and deciding they taste good enough to eat – we have to take a look at the whole grape including the seeds, skin, and stems. If those aren’t ripe, they will affect the wine flavor.

Deciding upon the perfect harvest time is a heart stopping procedure that causes plenty of excitement and anxiety each and every year. But, I think you’ll agree that we hit the nail on the head with our 2013 harvest. Our newest Pinot Gris is out and we think you’ll find it’s smooth and stunning.

There are many reasons to visit the Willamette Valley for summer and the first official day of summer is fast approaching. This means the vines are growing full steam ahead, flowers are in full bloom, and the temperatures are generally perfect. At least, that’s what it means here in the Willamette Valley.

Not only is our valley absolutely gorgeous this time of year, it’s also just a stone’s throw from many other local sites and “must see” locations. So, whether you are traveling from nearby Portland or Seattle – or if you’re coming from much farther away, here are just a few reasons to visit us this summer:

– It’s the perfect time to tour wine country by bike. The scenery is fantastic, the weather is temperate without being roasting, and our roads are bicycle friendly.

– Local vineyards boast new growth, grapes, flowers, and great wine. We are often compared to Bordeaux, France. The views from our tasting room and several of the guest rooms in our Inn will show you why.

– The Oregon Coast (one of the 7 Wonders of Oregon) is only an hour away. Several more wonders such as Mount Hood, the Columbia River Gorge, and Crater Lake can be seen on a day trip from here.

– We have over 150 wineries and tasting rooms in our area alone. Our winery and Inn keeps things friendly enough for a newbie to wine, but we have enough around us to satisfy the most discerning wine aficionado.

– The International Pinot Celebration happens in summer – and it’s an event not to be missed.

There is so much more to do and see at our winery and in our valley this spring and summer.

Statistically, 33 percent of engagements happen during the holiday season. With all of those newly engaged couples out there, whispers of wedding planning are on the lips of new brides-to-be everywhere, and the intense search for the perfect wedding location begins. Some brides have been dreaming of their venues for years, and some have no idea where to start. Choosing the perfect location for your wedding is everything; it sets the entire tone for the rest of the wedding, and helps to direct subsequent decisions for the big day. With approximately 500 wineries in Oregon, it’s easy to find a beautiful facility for a vineyard wedding, but it’s not very often that you find such an exquisitely beautiful and exclusive location for your Oregon Wine Country wedding as Youngberg Hill Vineyards. Nestled among the picturesque, undulating hills of the Willamette Valley, Youngberg Hill Vineyards, nestled atop the Hill of our family-run farm, sets a stunning scene for your Oregon wedding that can’t be beat.

It is release time for the 2011 vintage, and the perfect time to join our Wine Club!

Wine clubs are a great way to keep in touch with wineries that you enjoy, to keep your wine cellar stocked, to try new vintages before the general public gets to, and to receive and/or purchase wines or vintages that are only available to wine club members. In fact, there are some entire vintages that are only available to wine club members.

A Wine club membership provides discounts on purchases for semi-annual shipments and on other orders. Members are also invited to participate in special events throughout the year including winemaker’s dinners, free tastings, wine tours, barrel tastings, club pickup events, blending parties, and more. Wine clubs also provide opportunities to enjoy wines that are not released to the general public or stores.

2013 has been a relatively good growing season so far for Oregon Pinot Noir. We had an early spring in terms of warmer temperatures and drier weather in April and May. Budbreak and bloom were on time or slightly ahead and we just concluded fruit set. The clusters are very full and berry size is even. We will be counting clusters and weighing clusters in the next couple of weeks to determine how much fruit to cut off to maximize quality.

We have raised catch wires to the top of the posts and hedged the vines. We have also removed leaves on the east side of the vines to open up the canopy and expose the fruit to cool morning sunlight. We are cutting and plowing under more cover crop to eliminate competition for water, as we are having a few more hotter days than normal and drier ground water. In fact, our number of hours hotter than 50 degrees is similar to California’s Sonoma County so far this year. We have had a few more days of higher than normal humidity, as well, that increases propensity for mildew pressure. Therefore, we have been more diligent in our spray program to ensure the vines are protected. The drier than normal conditions have made this easier to manage.

With the end of July just around the corner, it’s time for Pinot Noir lovers to rejoice! The 27th annual International Pinot Noir Celebration is upon us, from July 26th-28th at Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon. The three day event that makes up the International Pinot Noir Celebration, or IPNC for short, is a must-do event for new Pinot Noir lovers or master winemakers alike. Join a variety of people from across the globe, including winemakers, northwest chefs, media, and other wine lovers as you explore the intricacies of Pinot Noir wines, savor unforgettable meals, and learn and celebrate with the biggest stars of the wine world. Throughout your time at the International Pinot Noir Celebration, you’ll have a chance to taste Pinot Noir from Grand Cru Burgundy, Oregon, New Zealand, Australia, California, and other areas around the globe. But this event is about more than just tasting great wines. Here, you’ll have the chance to walk through Oregon vineyards with the grower who planted them, and unwind in the picturesque wine country of Willamette Valley, Oregon. This surely is one of the most enjoyable weekends for wine lovers from all walks of life. Youngberg Hill Vineyards is located just 15 short minutes away from Linfield College and the IPNC venue, making this your perfect opportunity to stop in and tour one of Oregon’s premier wine country estates.